November 14, 2024

From Crisis to Stability: The Path to a More Affordable, Accessible, and Equitable Health Care System 

The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC) hosts the Health Care Cost Trends Hearing each year to examine the drivers of health care costs and discuss the challenges and opportunities for improving care and reducing costs across the health care system.

The 2024 Health Care Cost Trends Hearing will take place in a period of significant upheaval and reflection for the Commonwealth’s health care system. The bankruptcy and dissolution of Steward Health Care, previously the third largest hospital system in Massachusetts, led to substantial disruptions to the state’s health care market and has taken a significant toll on communities, patients, provider organizations, and health care workers across the region. This market instability is occurring while many providers across the health care continuum are still struggling to adapt to a post-pandemic “new normal” state, wrestling with capacity constraints, financial volatility, administrative burdens, and workforce recruitment and retention challenges. At the same time, an increasing number of Massachusetts residents are struggling with health care affordability and medical debt. 

This year, in the wake of the considerable harm caused by the bankruptcy of Steward Health Care and other recent market disruptions, the HPC is focusing the 2024 Health Care Cost Trends Hearing on moving forward, from crisis to stability, and building a health care system that is more affordable, accessible, and equitable for all residents of Massachusetts.  

Where:    
Suffolk University Law School         
120 Tremont Street, Boston 

Testimony:

Each year, a call for pre-filed testimony is sent to payers, providers, and hospitals. These questions cover a variety of relevant topics, which will be discussed in detail at the hearing. State law requires the HPC to seek testimony from a cross-section of the market, including providers (e.g., acute care hospitals, community health centers, physician organizations), health plans, and municipalities. For 2024, the HPC requested pre-filed testimony from nine payers and 25 provider organizations. All written testimony is a public record and is posted online as received. 

Materials:

Materials will be posted as they become available.   

Agenda 
Program Book
Presentation
Notice of Public Hearing   
Testimony
2024 Pre-Filed Testimony Summary

Registration: 

A livestream of the hearing will be available on this page. Registration is required to attend in-person, as seating is limited.